January Update

Okay, so January got away from me without a post... Christmas finally got put away around the middle of the month and then I zeroed in on my responsibilities as VP on the state board for American Mothers. This past Saturday we had our Honors Gala and Silent Auction at the Wright House Garden Reception Center in Mesa. We announced and honored Arizona's new Mother of the Year and Young Mother of the Year. It's going to be an exciting year as we work to honor, mentor and celebrate mothers across our state. I'm currently in the midst of the state-wide 5th grade essay contest on "Why I love my Mom". Next month we will introduce the new Mothers of the Year to the State Legislator. In April we have the 75th Diamond Jubilee Celebration at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City! And in May we are doing a Moms Fun Run.

And in between meetings and emails and planning and laundry and cooking and cleaning and everything else, I'm working on some new ornaments designs for this season. Christmas may be far away, but the factory needs my stuff by May!

Put another candle on the cake for my oldest son Matt... #26... shhhh.... he doesn't want anyone to know how old he is! Ha! To be so young! He is graduating in Computer Science/Information Systems from BYU Hawaii in April.... FINALLY! So we are planning our trip over there for all the festivities! In honor of his birthday here are 26 things I love about Matt: 1. beautiful blue eyes, 2. he's the tallest in the family at 6'2", 3. loves anything I fix him to eat, 4. loves apple pie the most, 5. doesn't complain about not getting pb&j sandwiches at home, 6. served a faithful mission to Argentina, 7. loves his Hawaiian paradise, 8. has a strong testimony of the church/Savior, 9. not afraid to try food from all different countries, 10. he's a loyal friend, 11. has learned to be financially responsible for himself, 12. has learned to cook a few things (I think???), 13. gets good grades in school, 14. speaks Spanish fluently (hopefully still), 15. has a very kind heart, 16. computer smart, 17. figured out how to build a computer (with his dad), 18. plays the piano (a few songs), 19. plays the ukulele, 20. great guitar player, 21. writes and sings songs, 22. wrote me a Mothers' day song a few years ago, 23. sets a great example for his younger siblings, 24. is emerging into a wonderful young man, 25. independent thinker, and 26. tells me he loves me whenever we talk on the phone!!

Jon is busy in school and doing woodworking and serving as the Elders Quorum President. He ran his first 1/2 marathon last week and did really well! I call him the energizer bunny because he never stops moving! He has officially been home for one year now... he came home on February 2nd (my birthday) last year. He is such a help to me around the house and our house is always in a perpetual state of woodworking or other home improvement projects.

Josh is hoping to be transferred since he has been in the same area for about 8 months. We had a wonderful phone call a couple of Sundays ago from the wife of the branch president where he has been serving. She told me how much they love Josh and the whole branch is fired up about missionary work thanks to his powerful talks and enthusiasm. He is giving 200% to the Lord and we are so proud of him. I miss him so much but I am so grateful for his dedication and sacrifice. We are truly being blessed.

Katelyn shows a real talent for the violin and is progressing well. I wish I could say that about her school work! Sixth grade has been a challenge and I'm not sure how to get her better focused. She loves going to Young Womens and got to do baptisms for the dead a couple of weeks ago at 5 in the morning!!

Mark works and works and works... long days... his company is busy and growing. But we are grateful for a job considering how many are struggling. I am learning to be supportive and hope that at some point things will slow down for him.

So that pretty much sums up our January and life for the last few months... Kind of a boring post but this blog is also my journal...

Only 40...

Forty...4-0... Yes, that's how many... No, not my age... passed that up a few years ago! Not how many gray hairs I have... I don't think I have any yet thanks to good genes on my dad's side of family (he didn't have any until into his 70's). And it isn't how many presents we opened yesterday... I'm sure by the size of the pile of wrapping paper it was way MORE than that! And it's not how much cash is left in my wallet 'cuz I probably have way LESS than that!

So this "40" I'm talking about is the best present I received this year (and for the last 5 years)... With that clue some of you may have guessed... Yes, it is how many minutes we had to talk with Josh on the phone from his mission in Georgia... It went by way too quick... Yeah, I felt a little cheated considering we talked for a couple of hours (at least) with Jon and Matt during their Christmases in the field. But Josh is a stickler for exactness... in everything... and in obeying mission rules... he knows that blessings will come from following those rules to a T... and he badly wants those blessings as he gives his whole self in service to the Lord. And so I can't really fault him or say let's bend the rules because 40 minutes isn't long enough for this mom who misses and loves her baby son soooo dang much! His mission president seems to be a little more on the "strict" side shall I say than many other mission presidents. Funny how my last post was about a phone call, too.... the DREADED one (see below)! THIS phone call was the one a mom waits for months for and counts the days for!!

And so I cherished every minute of that 40... and soaked in every word he said... and teared up as he told of the miraculous baptisms of a newly married couple this past week. And with his cast freshly cut off he was able to perform the sacred ordinance... a WHITE Christmas they call it amongst missionaries. And I painfully listened to more details of his accident... and silently thanked my Heavenly Father for protecting and healing him. And Matt and him spoke a little Spanish together... and even though I couldn't understand it, I felt the spirit of these two brothers communicating and sharing this common bond. And then.... before I had to a chance to ask all my questions... it was time to say good-bye... it was like only having the first course of a delicious meal... you're still hungry for more...

I love you and good bye... and click he is gone... Does he know how much I love him? And how proud I am of him? Could he hear that in our voices or feel it in his heart? I guess all those questions I had for him can wait.... at least until next week's email to him... or until the Mother's Day phone call... I've already begun counting!

The Dreaded Phone Call

Yeah, we got one of those phone calls... the one you hope and pray you never get... It was Halloween Day early afternoon to be exact... The caller ID said LDS Mission... my heart stops momentarily as I say "Hello?" The voice on the other end sweetly says "Is this Sister Weathers?" "Yes" my voice is cracking. "This is Sister Bowman" (Josh's mission president's wife) and I immediately know this is NOT good. Emails and letters are good from Mission Presidents and wives. We've received a few of those. BUT NOT A PHONE CALL!! She asks how I'm doing and I tell her good... until NOW! She calmly tells me Josh has had a bad accident... a bike accident and he is in surgery and they are on their way to see him. Breathe... hold it together.... A broken arm, no concussion, and very few details she has at this point. Which arm? How bad? Why surgery? What hospital? She doesn't know. She promises to call back as soon as he's out of surgery and in recovery.

The hours tick by very slowly....2 then 3 then 4 then 5 THEN 6 and I'm going crazy!! It's the longest day of his mission for me! And I begin to think the worst! Since when does a broken arm take 6 hours of surgery???? It's now Halloween night and I'm keeping the phone in one hand as I'm answering the door and practically throwing the candy at the trick-or-treaters and mumbling out a Happy Halloween to them as I'm sure NOT feeling happy!

And then I can stand it no longer so dial her cell phone number. She answers. Keeping my emotions under control and without asking her why in the heck she hasn't called us back she tells me that the surgery went fine, he was awake and hoping to get some food, and that they had to put 2 metal plates and 6 screws in his arm... his RIGHT arm... bummer... I asked for the 2nd time if we would be allowed to speak to him and/or his surgeon and she said she didn't think so. But wait! This is my child! I need to hear his voice... to have that reassurance... he's not in prison for gosh sakes!!

Our stake president was informed of his accident the next day and there was some discussion about him possibly coming home to recover and have physical therapy. But he is staying and I'm glad because he wouldn't be a happy camper if he had to come home. He is a strong, determined, faithful young man and wants to be there out serving no matter the price! Yes, it will be a daily struggle for a couple of months. He loved being on a bike but will be in a car for at least 6 months. (I'm happy about that!) He will have to find ways to dress, eat, email, write, and sleep with a cast on.

I reminded him in an email that this "affliction shall be but a small moment" and "know thou, my son, that this shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." (Paraphrase from D&C 121) Maybe someone's heart will be softened because they see him out working and serving in spite of a broken arm. Or maybe this will further refine and humble Josh into an even better missionary. (He is currently District Leader and a trainer.)

Josh was able to email us a few days later and told us that his tire hit something in the road and he flew through the air like Superman and landed on his arm. He was calm until he saw that his arm looked like a boomerang. But before shock could set in he asked his companion for a blessing and a doctor was immediately there to help and call the ambulance... his accident occurred right in front of a orthopedic doctors office!

Yes, it is very hard to have a child (I know he's 19 but he's still my child) far away and in a hospital and probably scared about having surgery (he's never had any before). But our loving Heavenly Father watches over his children, especially his missionaries... He sends the comforter to give peace to our hearts... and throws in a few tender mercies along the way...

LDS Keepsake Ornaments

So, next in the "I'm sooo busy I forget to breathe" category is...

It's a long story so I'll try to make it short as possible...

Every Christmas I always buy a new ornament for each of my kids. I try to find ones that go along with what they are doing in their lives. Like, for example, Matt is at BYU Hawaii and he bought a surfboard and learned to surf. So I found a cute surfboard ornament for him. I have done this each year since they were born and put them on the "kid" tree in the family room. Someday when they get married I will give them all their own ornaments and hopefully they will continue the tradition with their kids. Of course, this will never happen if they DON'T HURRY UP AND GET MARRIED!!! Okay... I'm getting sidetracked... So since I've had sons out serving missions for the last 5 Christmases I wanted to find a missionary ornament! And do you think I could find one searching all the millions of Mormon websites out there??? Not one decent one out there! So as I'm at the mall looking at ornaments, there is one that has a boy in shorts on a bike...hmmm... I think to myself... with a change of clothes to a white shirt and tie and dark pants and a black name tag, he would look like a missionary! So for several months I sketched several missionary designs and searched for an ornament company that would be willing to work with me to produce these custom polyresin (clay-looking) ornaments. I contracted with a company in Massachusetts and the process began. I worked with the owner of the company and her son... I started with 5 missionary designs and after further inspiration decided to add several Temple marriage designs... couldn't find any of those kind of ornaments either which is amazing considering there is almost 14 million of us Mormons out there! Now the other little obstacle I had to overcome was the fact that the people helping me make the designs and molds had barely ever even heard of a Mormon! So I directed them to our church website and helped them become a little more familiar with what a temple is and what a missionary does and looks like.

So after months of collaborating and working on the marketing, the ornaments are being mass produced in a factory in China and should be arriving in the next couple of weeks! I hope! Deseret Book is going to sell them in their stores and online!! (That's another whole story in itself.) A local store in Mesa will carry them. And if I ever get around to getting a website done, they'll be available there, too. I was hoping they would arrive in time for my boutique, but alas, no...

They are being featured in LDS Living Magazine (November edition) in the Gift Guide Section. Facebook friends have already seen the previews... but I think they are much cuter and better looking in person. They will come in boxes and will be personalizable (is that a word??). So buy them for your missionaries that are out or have even come home! Or for future farewell gifts. The temple marriage ones are nice for wedding gifts or gift toppers... and one of the hearts is a picture frame... Valentine gifts, too!

I have about a dozen more designs in various stages of production that will be out next year including "Babies are a Blessing" and family ones. So cherish the milestones in life with an LDS Keepsake Ornament!!

Greatest Power for Good is a MOM

Here's what's next on the list of my busy life...

I was nominated and chosen to serve on the executive board of directors for the Arizona American Mothers Association. I will be installed at the State Convention on November 14th. I feel very honored and humbled to be a part of this great organization. The national organization was founded 75 years ago and they own and sponsor Mothers Day. Their main goal is to strengthen the moral and spiritual foundations of the family. My responsibilities (I'm Vice President of Honoring Mothers) will be to find, and with the help of my committee, select the Mother and Young Mother of the Year for Arizona, and organize community events around Mothers Day including the 5th grade essay contest ("Why my mom is special") that the schools do each year. If you want to read more about American Mothers and how you can join a chapter in your area, go to the American Mothers, Inc. website for Arizona or any state or the National one. I truly believe that "Moms are the greatest power for good in the world."

Some REAL Housewives from the Holiday Magic Boutique...

Life has been crazy the last few weeks... or maybe it's been months... it sure feels that way! I feel like I need to come up for air! And speaking of air... the nice cool mornings and evenings sure feel great and do wonders for our a/c bill!

So what has keep me soooo busy?? Well, for starters, I'm working on my 3rd annual HOLIDAY MAGIC BOUTIQUE... It's coming up next week (Friday, November 6th and Saturday November 7th) here at my home. I have about 30 vendors signed up selling homemade and resale items. Christmas gifts for everyone on your list! Lots of baby stuff, jewelry, purses, candles, hair accessories, aprons, crystal nail files, pictures, yard art, gourment food storage, tamales, cinnamon rolls, and tons more. I advertise all over, find vendors, answer 1000s of emails, get okays from the HOA, make signs, and get the house ready, etc. Many hours a day for the last couple of months. Every year I say I'm not doing it again and then somehow the bug hits me and I get talked into it. I guess cuz I love boutiques and browsing all the cute and creative things that people make. It gets my creative juices flowing...

My boutique is also being featured in Go Gilbert Magazine! One of the editors found out about it and put it in the calender section of the magazine. She also asked about doing a feature on the boutique, why I do it each year, and who some of the Gilbert moms are that participate. She also had heard about my "REAL Housewives of Gilbert" blog that I posted in May of this year. And so, we wrote a human interest/feature article for the magazine and had some pictures taken. It's a spoof on the Real Housewives shows (New York and Orange County) on Bravo TV. Unfortunately the feature won't make it out before the boutique happens, but maybe it will be great publicity for next year! Oh wait! Didn't I say I won't do it ever again?? Yeah, I say that every year! So at least we're in the calendar and that has already gone out to over 25,000 households in Gilbert and Chandler!

So come experience the magic of the holidays and see what some of the REAL Housewives of Gilbert have up their sleeves!!

Fall is in the Air (or is it??)

It is officially FALL... Time to put away the swimsuits and shorts and quit wearing white!! But how do you do that when the forecast for today is 105 degrees?? It doesn't look like or feel like fall around here in AZ! I long for cool autumn days and chilly nights sitting by a cracklin' fire and sipping hot chocolate... and listening to the sounds of leaves rustling in the breeze as they change to colors of blazing oranges and rusty reds... and, darn it, just having enough cool days to wear all those sweaters in my closet before it gets too hot again!!

Don't get me wrong... we love desert living!! In January when half the country is digging themselves out of the snow and scraping ice from their cars, we live outdoors! Yeah, it's only in the fall that I turn a little melancholy watching BYU football games on TV and wishing I was there breathing in the crispness of the mountain air and admiring the beauty all around!

So, as I have for the last 17 years of living in Arizona, I'll hang my fall wreath with fake leaves on the door, I'll put out my fake pumpkins on my front porch (real ones would turn to mush within a week), and I'll fill every nook and cranny inside with some of the same!

Oh, and maybe I'll bake an apple crisp for dessert tonight!

And I guess I could turn the a/c down to 68 degrees and put on a sweater...

Jon is 22

August just flew by without a post... A trip to Utah for a family reunion at Lagoon, school starting for Katelyn, Jon starting college, and working hard getting my line of ornaments designed, manufactured, and marketed kept me very busy! So here it is the last day of August and I don't want to leave the month without at least one post. I should have done it yesterday because this morning I got stung on my finger by a baby scorpion and it is still stinging and tingling... AND yesterday was Jon's 22nd birthday!! So here are 22 things I love about Jon:
1) his big smile
2) likes to shop for clothes and look nice
3) returned with honor from his mission
4) is always positive
5) never speaks ill of anyone
6) is very hard-working
7) is always helpful and does things without having to be asked
8) is a loyal friend
9) volunteers to serve at every opportunity
10) does beautiful woodworking
11) does tile and stone work and all kinds of construction
12) earned the money for his mission by doing his woodworking
13) likes country music (like me)!
14) brings a great spirit into our home
15) has a big heart!
16) was always his teachers' favorite student-- every year in elementary school
17) learned to ride a 2-wheel bike when he was only 4 (he got impatient waiting for his dad to take off the training wheels, so he found some tools and figured out how to take them off himself... and off he went!!)
18) got his first "play" set of tools when he was 3 and has been become a master of tools and fixing things ever since!
19) has a natural ability riding dirt bikes... his 1st was a YZ50 when he was 6... by 10 he was racing!
20) is kind and respectful to everyone
21) has a strong testimony and is faithful in his callings
22) tells me he loves me every day!

WICKEDness is Happiness!!

Several months ago I bought tickets (5th row center) to the musical Wicked. I was so excited to see it! I tucked them away in a safe spot. And then forgot about them. Well, sort of...

Every year my daily planner pages end in June so I start a new one on July 1st. I forgot to record the show dates in the new calender. But the date that stuck in my memory was July 27th (today). So last Thursday morning (the 23rd) I pulled out the tickets just to look at them. And to my horror they said Wednesday, July 22nd!!! No! NO! It can't be! I think I was hyperventilating and I was so sick I wanted to throw up.

A couple of hours (and friends' condolence phone calls) later I had finally calmed down. So I got up the courage to call Mark. I told him something horrible had happened this morning. Of course, he thought I'd wrecked the car or had something that really was horrible happen. When I finally spilled the news he began to laugh. I mean he wasn't thrilled that I'd just thrown away $400, but he was so relieved that that was all it was. He had no interest in going to the show anyway.

Next, I called the Box Office and begged. So sorry... nothing they could do. And the final shows were all sold out. BUT, they said, I could come down 3 hours early and put my name in a ticket lottery. Ten names would be drawn for 2 tickets each. I asked how many people show up for that? Usually a couple hundred. Pretty bad odds, I figured. And standing out in the heat... unbearable. And I'm sure the seats are in the nose-bleed section. So I decided to wait for the next time Wicked came to the valley again which would probably not be for another 2 or 3 years... Bummer...

And then a little miracle happened thanks to my wonderful friend Sharon. She heard about my story and she had also desparately wanted to see Wicked. So she and her husband went down to Gammage on Friday afternoon to put their names in for the lottery. But no luck. They went again on Saturday morning. No luck again. They went again on Saturday afternoon. And... drum roll please... her name was the 2nd one drawn!! She called to tell me and I was so happy for her and her husband. (Really, I was!) And then she said "You're coming with me 'cuz my husband doesn't want to go! The monkeys scared him when he watched The Wizard of OZ as a kid and he has really never liked it since! I have a ticket for YOU!!!"

So her husband chauffered us there... and to our amazement and delight... our seats were guess where?? FRONT ROW (yes, ROW 1) and Center!!! The best seats in the house!!! We could see every detail of their costumes... and every expression of their eyes and faces... and it seemed they were looking right at us! It was phenomenal!!!

And then last night Mark came into the office while I was emailing our missionary Josh. He said he had something I needed to see. "But I'm kinda busy." "Yes, but you really need to come and see this" he insisted. So I reluntantly followed him to the family room where BYU TV was on and low and behold the Women's Choir was performing the songs from Wicked!!

And I relived the magic all over again!

A years supply of egg custard...

It's a hot, hot day and I'm thinking about making some egg custard... sprinkled with a little nutmeg... the cold smooth cream slithers down your throat. Yumm...

It's always been one of my kids' favorite desserts. They loved it from the time they began to eat solid foods. Jello brand sold it in little boxes like their puddings and it was quick and easy to make. And then one day there was not one box of it at the grocery store! Week after week it was on my grocery list and the store was always out of it. I checked other stores. They all had an empty spot where it once was stocked. I asked the store managers. They didn't know what happened to it. I had my mom check the grocery stores in Utah (they always have everything) and nothing! I checked out Jello's website. They didn't even show it as a product anymore. We could probably get along without green jello, but not custard! I emailed them and got no response. I was getting frantic! I searched for it on all kinds of hard-to-find food websites. I mean HometownFavorites.com even has Danish Dessert (the best strawberry glaze) on their website and I've tried for years to get Arizona stores to carry it!

Months (it felt like years) went by...

In the meantime, I made some from scratch but my kids didn't like it as well. I guess their tastebuds got used to the powdered egg taste!

And then last week I fretted to my husband about it and he said to just google it! So I did. And guess where it showed up??? On Amazon.com! I knew you could buy books, CDs, DVDs, electronics and all kinds of stuff on there! But I NEVER knew you could buy food on Amazon! (Thank you Jeff Bezo!) So I ordered 24 boxes (that's the minimum) on Saturday and on Monday morning it was on my doorstep! Now I've got my years supply of it!

And guess what's for dessert tonight??

Kona - Hawaii

A couple of months ago Matt went over to the big island to see his best friend Vasu get married in the Kona Hawaii Temple. (The Laie Temple is closed for renovations.)
Here are some of the pictures he emailed us... I'm just a little slow getting them uploaded.

The wedding party...Matt sang and played the guitar at the reception...

I think he keeps that talent a little hidden!

Duck Creek

We had a Weathers' Family Reunion in Duck Creek Village, Utah over the July 4th holiday. Duck Creek is east of Cedar City by Cedar Breaks and in Dixie National Forest. High altitude (8500+) and low temps (50-60's)!! A nice reprieve from our 110+degree days. It was fun to share a few days with extended family. Here are some pictures from our trip:

Can you guess what the main form of recreation was??
Miles upon miles of trails... through gorgeous mountain vistas....

Inside Mammath Caves...

Check out the dirty smiling faces...

Cousins hanging out together in the hammock...

And playing in an evening concert...

Mom/Grandma and her four kids...

And most of the gang that could come...

Can you HEAR me now?

I grew up in a house with 3 phones. One in my parents' room, one in my dad's office, and one in the kitchen with a 15+ foot cord. That was the one we were relegated to use. It could stretch around the corner and down the hallway but privacy was at a premium because it couldn't quite reach my bedroom. Some families got a second line for the teenagers. We didn't.

As my first child approached those teenage years I began to ponder the second line concept for our home. But then, in the blink of an eye, telephone technology changed. House phones became cordless and you could walk around the house (and even the yard) with one. My car phone, once hard-wired into our car, became mobile and grew smaller... the prices went way down... and it seemed that every man, woman, teenager, and child on the block had one in their pocket or purse! Family plans, mobile-to-mobile minutes, roaming fees, and text minutes replaced land lines and local and long distance carriers. We could talk to anyone, anywhere, anytime...

Years ago there was a commercial that said "Let your fingers do the walking through the yellow pages!" (Who even uses those big bulky Yellow Page Books anymore? I've been meaning to write them and tell them what a waste of time, money and paper it is to keep leaving them on my doorstep.) Ninety-five percent of the information we need we can literally hold in the palm of our hands... and have it with just a few quick movements of our fingers!

And now we don't even have to use our mouths to communicate to others with these small devices!

In this new world of communicative technology, our fingers (mostly thumbs) have become our mouthpieces!! Texting, tweeting on Twitter, emailing, IMing (instant messaging for those few who don't know), blogging... all great new forms of communicating and connecting with others... and without a sound... okay, maybe a few click, click, clicks... Are we still living out loud (LOL) or as a recent cell phone commercial asks "Can you HEAR me now??"

The other day my 21-year-old son was sitting in the family room having a "conversation" with a friend. He told me he was asking her on a date.

"But, I didn't hear you talking to anyone?" I questioned him.

"I texted her, Mom!" he returned.

"So you didn't even call her on your cell phone?"

"Nobody does that."

Hmmm... I wonder if they will talk out loud on their date??

Life Lessons Learned in a Rodeo

The little red Rodeo is gone. Hooray!! We sold it a few weeks ago... just a couple of hours after putting a sign on it... signed, sealed, delivered, it's theirs! No sellers remorse here. I thought it was long overdue to get rid of it. It was already 10 years old when we bought it. Each of my three boys drove it. Matt drove it until he left for college in Hawaii. Jon drove it to work every day one summer with the air conditioning broken and never complained. It was getting pretty beat up by the time Josh got it. I asked him one day if he wanted a newer car and he said "No way, I love the Rodeo. Who cares if it's old! I'm happy to drive it!" Wow...

I realized then that my children are much wiser and more insightful than I am. Yes, my kids learned some great life lessons because of that Rodeo. They didn't care if most of their friends were given new cars when they turned 16. Their self-image wasn't tied to what kind of car they drove. They didn't have feelings of entitlement as so many of their generation do. (And I personally believe it is fueled by their parents giving them too much.) They learned how to take care of a car, to do the maintenance on it, and to work on the engine and all the other moving parts. With the help of a kind home teacher, they rebuilt and fixed the air conditioning system. And boy did they appreciate the flow of cold air on their faces after driving it for months without!!

And now Jon has bought his first truck. It's almost new and nothing fancy. A part of me just wanted to hand him the money and say "We'll pay for it... you deserve it!" But, no, we held back as we watched him work and struggle to pay for it with his hard earned money. His pride of ownership shows with the big smile on his face! He knows the value of a dollar. And the accomplished feeling of hard work. He says it was worth the wait!

It really is true that if you make your children's life a little harder, they will have a much better life! In a world of everything being so instant it is so hard to teach them to wait. And I find myself saying the same thing my parents said to me when I was a kid: "Wait until you grow up, then you'll appreciate it more." Child psychologists claim we need to teach our children this theory of delayed gratification for them to have happy and successful lives.

I agree... let them grow up and still have things to dream about...

A College Degree?

Matt is in the home stretch... one more semester until he graduates with his BS in Computer Science. He would have been finished by now but the disadvantage of a small college (BYU-H) is they don't offer a lot of senior level classes during the spring and summer terms. And the advantage? More time for sun and surf. Rough life, I say. His house is walking distance to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world! But, to his credit, a Computer Science Degree is no cake walk! Physics and more physics and lots of tough classes. A couple of months ago when he told me he wanted to change his major I stopped breathing for a moment. "Oh, no! You're soooo close to being done," I gasped! Yeah, I admit early on I hoped he'd be a doctor (or lawyer--he likes to argue a lot!). But, as parents, you have to let them explore and figure it out themselves. I mean when he was 18 he wanted to be a rock star! So, I'm thinking, Computer Science is good! Really good! And a VERY MARKETABLE degree to have even in this economy! And with his affinity for computers he will do just fine.

Now, Jon is home from his mission and trying to figure out his path of college travel. I'm just trying to bite my tongue. And Josh has 2 years to just concentrate on serving the Lord and not think about college.

When I was in college my parents insisted that I take classes that would give me marketable skills, too. I preferred more artsy stuff like interior design, creative writing, and flat pattern design (sewing). And, as a hopefully soon-to-be wife and mother, sprinkle in a little CDFR (Child Development/Family Relations) as it was called back then. So after 2 years of the "fun stuff" I switched over and dutifully took the shorthand (Now THAT's a real marketable skill nowadays! HA!) and business and accounting classes. And I sort of lost my focus and interest in college.

But, alas, I got my MRS Degree and not my BA or BS degree. And I've regretted it ever since. (Not the MRS part!) Yeah, sorry to admit, but my young adult social circle was more concerned about finding a husband than getting a college education. (Oh, the stories my roommates could tell you!) I'm so glad that this generation of young women seem to be more focused on getting their education while looking for a man. Good for them!

The years filled up with childbirth and children, church callings and service, keeping house and just keeping up, and not fun to mention, but several major surgeries and illnesses along the way. And I kept wondering when will it be MY time to go back and finish what I started at BYU over 25+ years ago? The guilt pricks me a little when I see those BYU TV commercials showing middle-aged women like me who've gone back and got their General Studies Degree through their online program. And I think to myself, "General Studies... too "generic" for me!" But it's better than no degree! So with the house a little quieter and emptier I probably could squeeze in some time for classes... That is after I help Katelyn with her schoolwork and stuff, fulfill my church calling and service, do the cooking and cleaning, laundry and ironing, and errands, and keep up the house...

I think I'm just too darn tired now.

Cocoons and Butterflies

Science was never my favorite subject. But, nonetheless, I do remember learning (probably in 5th grade) about the amazing life cycle of butterflies. And ever since we dropped Josh off at the MTC I've been thinking about this metamorphosis analogy: Female butterflies (moms) lay eggs which grow into caterpillars. Caterpillars spend most of their time eating. (Like teenage boys!) A protective casing (family, the gospel) forms around the caterpillar during the stage that they are undergoing a transformation (from a teenager into a young missionary/elder of the church). A caterpillar enters the cocoon so that they will be protected from a harsh or unfriendly environment. Once they have grown strong enough, they emerge from the cocoon (home, or in this analogy, the MTC) to the outside world. A silk worm (or caterpiller) metamorphosis's into a beautiful butterfly. It has often been said that the most beautiful butterflies usually emerge from the ugliest cocoons. For this reason, many people consider the process of the cocoon to be a miracle of nature. (Many miracles happen in the MTC!) Josh has completed his metamorphosis and has now emerged from the MTC "cocoon", spread his wings, and flown to the Georgia Macon Mission to share the awesome message of the gospel! Wonderful new adventures await him there!

Invasion of the Giant Zucchinis

We finally see some signs of life (besides tomatoes) in our garden. Peppers are growing (look very closely and you can see several in the picture on the right). The corn is almost 3 feet high. And all of a sudden... hidden under the big leaves... GIGANTIC zucchinis everywhere! I think you're supposed to pick them when they're a little smaller?? I NEVER see ones this big at the grocery store. Maybe it's all that Miracle Grow juice that Jon keeps putting on them. We've grilled them, fried them, baked them and just as I think we've used our last one....surprise... there's more growing! So now I'm shredding them up and freezing them to use later in the year.
Anyone for a zucchini cookie??

The Phone Call vs The Letter

When you have a missionary out serving, Mothers' Days are extra special. The handmade cards are sweet. The breakfast cooked by the kids and husband is yummy. The gifts are great. But...

Nothing can compare to the excitement of the much anticipated PHONE CALL ! For the last 3 Mothers' Days I've had that "gift"... Matt from Argentina and Jon from Pennsylvania. We even finagled a three-way so we could all talk together when both sons were out serving! Emails and letters are great but there is nothing like hearing their voice. That amazing and spiritual young man you are talking to you swear is not the young boy you sent off! You can feel their strength of testimony through the phone lines. Or... if you are on your cell phone, that power bounces off the satellites right through the walls of your home and into your ear!!

Several of my friends have missionaries out and it was fun to hear about their calls... and the efforts to coordinate the timing of the calls from different time zones while trying to squeeze in their block of church and get extended family members together for the big event. Whew!

But, with Josh still in the MTC, I knew there would be no phone call at our house that day... If they let those thousands of missionaries in there make even a 5 minute phone call, it would probably overwhelm the phone grids all over Utah Valley! It would be a logistics nightmare! Matt called me from Hawaii so that was sorta like the "call". I always like to hear my children's voices.

But... Josh didn't forget about mom's day and I received the most wonderful letter from him this week! And it TOTALLY made up for not hearing his voice on Sunday! Because what is better than a handwritten note from your child thanking you for everything you've sacrificed for him and telling you how lucky he is to have the best mom in the world?? (I'm not bragging... just quoting him.) I had to chuckle when he said, "It's wierd...when I throw my clothes into the laundry here, they don't come out all nice and folded on my bed for me! And when I go to dinner not everything is edible... I'm not used to that!" And then he goes on to share his testimony and his feelings and how much he is learning and that he will do his best to "become the missionary you believe I am." And even though I can't hear him saying these things, I can feel him saying these things! And the tears are streaming down my face as I'm trying to read and he's writing that he doesn't know if he can totally relate to being one of the 2000 Stripling Warriors, but he slightly changes Alma 56:47-48 to read "I have been taught by my mother, that if I doubt not, God will deliver me...I do not doubt my mother knew it."

No words in a blog can describe what my heart feels... And since I wasn't blogging during the time Matt and Jon were serving their missions, just let me put into the record that I also received amazing hand-written letters from them during their time out serving and I also read them with tearing streaming down my face and feeling seriously blessed!

The Real Housewives

Sometimes late at night when I can't fall asleep I turn on the TV and watch totally obnoxious shows... like The Real Housewives of New York City or Orange County. It's kind of addicting watching these women and their over-the-top lives. And then, the other night, out of the blue, my husband asked me if I wished my life was like that. I was mortified that he would even think that!

I grew up in Orange County and I've been to New York City... and yeah, there's a lot of women like them... self-absorbed, botox-injected, plastic surgery enhanced, top designer dressed, and money and power obsessed. One "housewife" on the NYC version told her husband that she didn't want much for her birthday and then bought a purse for $16,000 (no, I didn't type too many 0's!) and then was also surprised with a new fully-loaded Mercedes SUV....and then complained that it didn't have everything she needed! These "housewives" have the average 1.5 kids who they send off to boarding schools, employ maids, personal trainers, and personal chefs, and spend most of their time worrying about being seen with the right people at the right parties. I'm sorry TV Show Producers... they may be hilarious to watch, but they are not real housewives by any stretch of the imagination!!

Let me tell you about the real housewives that I know...

Most "housewives" I know are college educated or have helped put their husbands through college at great sacrifice.
Some "housewives" I know have served 2 year missions for our church.
Many "housewives" I know are stay-at-home moms sacrificing their own desires for fame and fortune to be available 24/7 for their kids and knowing that "no success is worth failure in the home".
Many "housewives" I know work, not always because they want to, but because they have to.
Lots of "housewives" I know stay up all night taking care of sick babies and children.
One "housewife" I know spends many nights softly rocking her newly adopted little girl who is experiencing night terrors because of her memories of living in an orphanage in China.
Many "housewives" I know open their hearts to fostering and adopting children from other countries and here in Arizona.
One "housewife" I know lives each day with optimism and cheerfulness in spite of her husband's brain tumor.
Several "housewives" I know care for and help raise their grandchildren.
One "housewife" I know has ached to have a baby for many years and now is awaiting not one... but 2 miracles... twins to adopt.
Many "housewives" I know spend time working on their gardens and canning food for their families.
One "housewife" I know regularly bakes cookies with her children to deliver to an elderly lady who is paralysed with MS.
One "housewife" I know focuses much of her time and energy on finding answers and therapies to help her young daughter with a genetic disorder.
Most "housewives" I know spend time volunteering at schools, in the community, and for their churches.
Many "housewives" I know send out missionary sons and daughters to share the gospel knowing that they will miss them terribly.
Several "housewives" I know patiently teach and work with their learning-disabled children.
A few "housewives" I know tenderly care for aging parents.
Many "housewives" I know are finding ways to save money and feed their family on a tight budget.
Most "housewives" I know fill their days with kids, carpooling, cleaning, cooking, and Costco.
Most "housewives" I know don't own a $16,000 purse or even a $160 purse!
And all the "housewives" I know think that their job of being a wife and mother is the best job (and hardest) in the world!

What do all of the above "housewives" have in common??

Sacrifice... Service... Selflessness... Compassion... Patience... Charity... Faith... Hope.... and LOVE !!

It is the true essense of motherhood...

It is what the REAL HOUSEWIVES of Gilbert Arizona (and everywhere else for that matter) are doing day in and day out....

I love being a housewife and a mom... and, honey, I wouldn't trade it for all that other stuff!

Happy Mothers Day to my mom and all the moms (and housewives) out there!

Garden Update

You say "tomato"...I say "what the heck is this?"

Wierd things are growing in our garden...

Most of our seeds germinated and corn, squash, peppers, and tomatoes are growing... still waiting on the rest...

I'm sure this is a rather pathetic looking garden for all you green thumbers out there!